PRIVATE 18342 WILLIAM FRIEND ABBOTT
SUFFOLK REGIMENT
1890 – 1916
William Friend Abbott was born January 1890 in a cottage on Coles Farm Wenham Magna now known as Great Wenham in Suffolk. His parents were Thomas and Ellen Abbott, (nee friend) his father Thomas was born circa 1860 in Wenham Magna and was baptised on 4th November 1860 in All Saints Church Wenham Parva now Little Wenham he died in 1948, his mother was born Ellen Friend circa 1860 in Wenhaston Suffolk before marriage she was employed as a general servant by a Mr. Arthur E. Smith a coach builders manager in Halesworth Suffolk she died in 1944. They married in 1889 and had 5 children 2 died as infants. On the 1911 census his father Thomas is aged 50 and employed as a Horseman on a farm and the surviving children are listed as William Friend Abbott aged 21 employed as a Cowman on a farm his younger brother Frederick Harold Abbott aged 14 also employed as a Cowman on a farm and their younger sister Laura Ellen Abbott aged 12 still at school all children born Gt. Wenham the family were living near Carriers in Great Wenham Suffolk.
As a child William and his siblings attended Capel St Mary School until he left to start work.
William enlisted in Ipswich and after his basic training he was posted as a Private 18342 Abbott to the Second Battalion Suffolk Regiment he was posted missing killed in action on 20 July 1916. During The Battle of the Somme.
He has no known grave but is remembered with Honour on Pier & Face 1c & 2a of the Thiepval Memorial. His name is also on a Memorial Plaque at St John’s Church Gt. Wenham.
William was posthumously awarded:
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•1914 – 1918 British War Medal
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•1914 – 1919 Victory Medal
His Next of Kin would also have received the Memorial Plaque and Scroll
